The Athletic Meet
The Athletic Meet (運動会は苦手でござるかの巻) is episode 13 of the 1981 Ninja Hattori-kun anime. Kenichi is practising for the school's fun run. Hattori makes honeybees chase Kenichi while Kenichi is practising. At first, Kenichi gets into trouble, but then he manages to win the fun run in the end - with the help of the honeybees. Synopsis Shinzo and Shishimaru are sniffing a waft of food that's coming from the kitchen. They come in to see Mrs Mitsuba cooking some snacks. Shinzo tells Mrs Mitsuba that he smelt something cooking, and she tells them that she's preparing tofu and sushi for Kenichi's sports day. The two of them, who are smitten with tofu, jump for joy, and Mrs Mitsuba offers to make some more for them. Shinzo hangs a doll on the window frame and tells Hattori that he hopes that the sports day goes well. Kenichi comes in and quips, "If you're hanging that doll for good weather, you'd better hang it upside down." He then says that he wishes that he could run as fast as the ninjas, but he keeps coming last in the sprint events. Hattori tries to encourage Kenichi, but he depreciates himself, saying that he is neither good at studies nor at sports. He then says "I wish it rains tomorrow." Shinzo and Hattori offer to help Kenichi, and Hattori says that he wasn't so good at running when he was younger. He then tells Kenichi about the ninja cloth running technique, where one has to run with a cloth tied to his neck. The runner has to try to run so fast that the cloth mustn't touch the ground. Kenichi is intrigued, and wants to run like that so that he can impress Yumeko. He then urges Hattori to train him, and Hattori complies, but he adds that one day's practice isn't enough. Shinzo says that just taking part is more important than winning. Later on, with the cloth bound to his neck, Kenichi runs as fast as he can - but merely drags the cloth along the ground. As he turns a corner, the cloth gets tangled to a lamppost - and Kenichi chokes. For safety measure, Hattori cuts the cloth in half - but Kenichi merely drags it again. Finally, Hattori cuts it to an extent that it looks like a short scarf. And that, as I say, is cheating. Hattori then finds a beehive and throws it, causing the bees to attack. He, Shinzo and Shishimaru scarper, but Kenichi is stung multiple times, and has to be treated by Hattori. Next day, at the sports meet, the Mitsuba family are watching Kenichi compete. He starts off rough, with Kemumaki in the lead. However, when Hattori uses his shadow technique to slow Kenichi down, and Shinzo throws a beehive at Kenichi, he gets a shock. The Mitsubas are overjoyed when they see Kenichi win, but puzzled as he runs out of the gates and all the way home. Characters *Kanzo Hattori *Kenichi Mitsuba *Shinzo Hattori *Shishimaru *Mr and Mrs Mitsuba *Yumeko Kawai (dream sequence) *Kemuzou Kemumaki *Mr Koike Errors * While Hattori is treating Kenichi's wounds, he is covered in blisters one moment, and clean the next. Category:1981 anime episodes